GraphicDesign.com Weighs the Pros and Cons of a Graphic Design Degree

This week, GraphicDesign.com Advisory Board member Jo Gifford brings the pros and cons of a graphic design degree to light. Executives in the graphic design industry Gifford talked to weren't sold on a diploma being necessary in order to get a job.

As a graphic designer, there are usually two main routes to the workplace: a graphic design degree followed by a junior designer role, or an internship or junior position to gain work experience before moving up the ladder from there.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) June 28, 2012

The readership of GraphicDesign.com runs the gamut of the graphic design industry. Its visitors include designers, marketers, and students looking to get their feet wet. The latter group will undoubtedly be interested in whether a graphic design degree is essential, and GraphicDesign.com is lending its expertise.

This week, GraphicDesign.com Advisory Board member Jo Gifford brings the pros and cons of a graphic design degree to light. Gifford starts her piece by noting, "As a graphic designer, there are usually two main routes to the workplace: a graphic design degree followed by a junior designer role, or an internship or junior position to gain work experience before moving up the ladder from there."

The pros of a graphic design degree include having an edge in a highly competitive industry, the opportunity to hone one's skills without having to worry about a client's concerns and budget, and a higher earning potential, which is a major benefit.

Not only can educated graphic designers potentially be paid more, but they can also be in the driver's seat of a growing market. To that end, Gifford points out, "Despite the global recession, employment of graphic designers is expected to grow 13% from 2008 to 2018, which is a huge 30% faster than the national average."

Costs and debt are two major downsides of getting a graphic design degree. Gifford cautioned, "It is anticipated that the total cost of a degree in the USA will rise to more than a quarter of a million dollars by 2018." Once graphic design students enter the "real world," they could be saddled with a mountain of debt, which averaged $24,000 in 2009.

Executives in the graphic design industry Gifford talked to weren't sold on a diploma being necessary in order to get a job. To that end, Rafiq Elmansy explained, "If the designer has good talent and good education, I do not give much attention to the degree."

Finally, according to Gifford, on-the-job training fuels much of the professional growth of a graphic designer. Therefore, more so than a degree, real world schooling is critical.

GraphicDesign.com continually seeks to engage its readers, and this week's article on the merits of a graphic design degree is no exception. At the end of Gifford's piece, readers can respond to three poll questions:

Do you have a degree in design or a design related subject?
Do you think it is important for designers to have a degree?
Do you think the global economy will affect how many designers have degrees in coming years?

The poll will remain open until July 6th and can be found HERE. Visit GraphicDesign.com for more details.

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